Brigadier Thyme was a member of the Long Patrol of the Foot'n Fur Rangers under the command of Rawnblade Widestripe. He was the companion of Colonel Clary and Hon Rosie. Together, they formed a team of expert rangers and trackers who regularly patrolled the region around Mossflower Woods and assisted the residents of Redwall Abbey.
Personality
Thyme was relatively wise, cautious and had great experience in battle. An excellent scout and tracker; Thyme could sense danger long in advance. His prediction and analysis of a situation were invariably correct. Thyme was also a master at long bow archery and could develop a wide variety of fighting devices out of existing material.
Brigadier Thyme was known for his thick, waxed moustache, which he occasionally twirled, stroked or brushed with care, and his excellent appetite. Thyme also developed a great fondness for October Ale, thanks to Gabriel Quill. While somewhat more serious than Rosie or even Clary, Thyme was still occasionally fond of joking, especially in battle situations, although he often winced at Hon Rosie's ear-splitting laughter.
Brigadier Thyme, as all members of the Long Patrol, was particularly devoted to Rawnblade, the current Badger Lord of Salamandastron . He obeyed the badger's orders faithfully, and did not hesitate to face danger in the process.
In a heroic act of service and selflessness, Brigadier Thyme ultimately laid down his life to save a group of oarslaves who had been taken hostages by searats.
Biography
Thyme and his companions were returning to Salamandastron from their usual patrolling tour, when they rescued Storm Gullwhacker, as she was attacked by Oykamon and his toads. After tending her wounds, the trio of hares entrusted Mariel to the care of Pakatugg, hoping that the temperamental squirrel would guide her to the safety of Redwall. They paid for Pakatugg's services with their food rations and gave the lost mousemaid a long patrol medal.
Meanwhile, Thyme and his fellow rangers were sent by Rawnblade to keep a watchful eye on Gabool the Wild and his searats and help any creatures threatened by the infamous vermin. The patrol soon discovered Greypatch's ship, the Darkqueen, moored inland on River Moss and quickly dismantled it in order to prevent the searats' escape. When Bigfang and his crew returned to the ship with their oarslaves and Pakatugg as hostages, the hares engaged them in battle.
Following the trail left by the vermin, the patrol found Redwall Abbey in the midst of a siege led by Greypatch. Thyme, Clary, and Rosie quickly assisted Mother Mellus and Abbot Saxtus in strengthening their defenses, trained the Abbey dwellers in combat action and devised a series of diversionary tactics and counter attacks against the searats. Their combined efforts and expertise in battle forced Greypatch and his crew to scale down their attack on the Abbey.
Partly inspired by the coaxing and pleading of Mother Mellus and partly out of their own heart, Brigadier Thyme, Colonel Clary, and Hon Rosie decided to liberate the searats' oarslaves from their cruel masters. Although their first two rescue missions went smoothly, the hares knew that the final attempt to save all the slaves would prove extremely difficult and perilous and might cost them their lives.
Assisted by Rufe Brush, Oak Tom, and Treerose, and, in a last minute gesture of bravery, a remorseful Pakatugg, they managed to rescue the slaves. In spite of the overwhelming number of enemies who opposed them, the heroic hares covered their escape by attacking the rats. The last stand against Greypatch's hordes of searats was the most desperate and gruesome battle of the Long Patrol. Using longbows, lances and daggers, the hares threw themselves against their enemies, all the while joking and laughing.
Brigadier Thyme fought with uncommon valor and valiance, and died on the battlefield with Colonel Clary, while Hon Rosie narrowly escaped dying of her terrifying injuries. In the battle, Thyme had slain Fleawirt and many other vermin. Out of a hundred searats, only eighteen survived.
Later, Rufe and Treerose buried Brigadier Thyme and Colonel Clary in a special place outside Redwall Abbey.